An Unexpected Romance
by whisperedthoughts
Summary: Naruto & Ino. It has been a month since Sasuke has left Konoha and Ino feels that it is time for her to move on. Story is set in autumn because spring should not be the only season for love.
1. Ino

**An Unexpected Romance**

This is a pairing between Ino & Naruto. I noticed that this pair wasn't too popular so I thought I'd give it a shot. Please don't hate on me if you don't like this pairing. Honestly, I'm just sick of Sakura. It's nothing personal, really, so don't start flames on this topic. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy this story and I'd appreciate it if you left me a review )

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

* * *

The wind swept her hair up in a dance of blonde and red. It was autumn and leaves had begun to fall from their branches, leaving the scenery colourful in shades of the sunset. Ino was not sure how long she had been sitting there, but she was beginning to feel the ache in her back from resting against the rough bark of her favourite tree. Within the past month or so, Ino had often found herself against this tree, wasting her afternoons away, lost in thought and reason. Perhaps it was not a coincidence that it also happened to be a month since Sasuke had left Konoha. Ino found herself deeply troubled by his departure. Ever since the Academy, Ino had found herself infatuated with Sasuke. Along with many other females in Konoha, she admired his silent strength, his mysterious charm, and dark beauty. Admiration may not be the accurate word to describe what she felt for Sasuke. Perhaps obsession was the right term, and even with that, it scarcely touched upon what she felt for him. However, that was all _past tense_. Ino had quarrelled with herself for the whole month that he had been gone and come to an uncertain conclusion that she no longer harboured feelings for him. Deep within her, she knew she still cared for him deeply. However, her feelings were no longer embedded in infatuation, lust or even love. She could not describe what she felt for him, but she knew that they were not what she had previously felt for him. Then again, he was also not what she had previously thought of him to be. 

Another soft breeze blew across the field and a single leaf landed in her lap. Ino picked it up gently and carefully traced the edges with her fingertip. Sasuke… His name whispered in her mind and she closed her eyes briefly. She imagined him as a young boy again at the academy and how he had always been determined to score the highest and best everyone in all competitions. _He used to be so strong-willed_, she thought to herself sadly. Upon first hearing the news of his departure, she was shocked. She was angry, hurt, confused, and frantic. Even though Ino was never able to establish any sort of relationship with him, she felt betrayed. The fact was, he indeed, betrayed all the villagers of Konoha by abandoning them. She was confused because she was unable to come up with any sort of excuse for Sasuke's actions. Furthermore, she was angry. Everyone in Konoha had supported him and cared deeply for him. Unlike Naruto, whom the villagers avoided and disliked, Sasuke had never been refused help from anyone. Especially because of his tragic past, everyone was careful to be sensitive to his needs and was considerate to him on all levels. Ino ground her teeth and shook her head in frustration. She did not want to think about Sasuke anymore. Blonde strands fell around her face, her ponytail becoming loose.

Ino sighed and stretched her long slender legs forward. Sitting on them had made them numb and she knew that if she wanted to get up anytime soon, she would have to let the blood circulate again, first. Ino shifted uncomfortably as she felt the pain in her back again. She was surprised that she had thought of Naruto of all people, amidst her thoughts of Sasuke. She tilted her head back and stared at the remaining leaves on the branches above her. To her, these were the stubborn leaves that were still clinging on, refusing to accept the change of season. In a way, they reminded her of Naruto's spirit. Despite the hardships that he had endured, Naruto remained pure. Of late, he had become more accepted in the village and she had heard stories outside Konoha that praised him as a hero. Regrettably, she realized that she had never gotten to know the boy, but she had witnessed for herself, on many occasions, his good nature. He was known to be loud and obnoxious but then again, so was she. He never lost faith in anyone and for that, she respected him. _Perhaps, I should make an effort to get to know him_, Ino thought, making a mental note to herself.

"Ino?"

Ino glanced towards the direction of the voice and was surprised to see the very person she had been thinking about. A deep blush flushed across her pale cheeks. _What was he doing here?_ This was Ino's secret and favourite spot and she was shocked to be found here. She stuttered at Naruto, unable to find her voice.

"Ino, are you okay? You look sick."

Naruto had now approached her and he held a hand out, in a gesture to check her temperature. Mortified, Ino drew back sharply and instinctively slapped Naruto's hand away. Naruto stood back on his heels, but did not make a comment. He was used to this sort of reaction. Ever since he was a child, he was rejected by both the adults and his fellow peers. It was only until a while ago that he had found out about the kyuubi sealed inside of him and from that, he was finally able to derive the reasons for the other villagers' hostility towards him. He offered her a timid smile.

"Sorry, Ino. I didn't mean to startle you. I just thought that you might be sick," Naruto said, simply. He shrugged. He had never been very close to Ino and was actually quite unsure of how to interact with her. However, he had come to train and he figured that it was best not to offend anyone in the process.

"N-No. You didn't do anything wrong." Ino was barely able to whisper as her voice caught in her throat. _Why is he apologizing to me?_ Ino wondered. She felt her stomach turn a little. She remembered snapping at him when he had asked her initially if she was sick. She had even slapped his hand away. _It was a friendly gesture and I was completely rude_, Ino realized. She chewed on her bottom lip. _Should I apologize?_

"Ino, maybe I should leave. Sorry for disturbing you…" Naruto began, but Ino interrupted him.

"No, Naruto. I'm sorry for acting so rudely before. I was just thinking about something when you came and I was not acting like myself." Ino hoped that her explanation would ease the awkwardness that had settled in the air between them. This was not how she had planned '_to get to know him._'

Naruto flashed Ino his big, signature smile. He felt better knowing that he had not offended her. Ino saw his eyes curve into mere slits as a large smile formed across his face. She noticed that he had lines across his cheeks and that they also curved with the smile. She could not help but smile back at him. He was completely genuine and Ino basked in his purity. Warmth entered her heart and she was glad that he had chanced upon her today.


	2. Naruto

This is the second chapter and takes place at the same time as chapter one. In other words, while the events of this chapter are taking place, Ino is under her favourite tree as told in chapter one. The two chapters will converge near the end of this chapter.

Thank you for reading and please leave a review )

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

* * *

The air smelled strongly of earth and mildew. It was not exactly a pleasant smell, but it was natural and it complemented the change of season. Naruto leaned against the railing of his balcony and inhaled deeply. He was still dressed in his striped pyjamas and his nightcap hung lopsided over his right ear, threatening to fall. He was aware that it was well into the afternoon, but it did not matter to him because it was the first time that he had such restful sleep since Sasuke's departure. For many nights after his failed attempt to bring Sasuke back, Naruto had either been restless in bed or haunted by nightmares. Now, a month later, Naruto was finally beginning to heal. It had been the first night that he was able to sleep without a single nightmare for the whole duration and wake up rejuvenated. He grinned happily at the life bustling beneath him. He felt great comfort in watching the villagers scurrying about in their business. All his life, he had been ridiculed and rejected by his fellow villagers but he held no grudge against any of them. He was simply grateful to be apart of such a great village. Despite his identity, he aspired to be the next Hokkage. Sure, there were many who laughed at his dreams, but he held on to them, regardless, because he knew there were those certain few who _did_ have faith in him. For the select few that had mattered in his life, he would not let them down.

A soft breeze blew by and Naruto watched as the leaves in the streets danced in a colourful circle, waltzing among swirls of dust and debris. For a moment, Naruto forgot why he had been upset at all for the past month. A wisp of bright blonde hair tickled his cheek and he closed his eyes peacefully. _Today, I won't think of Sasuke_, Naruto told himself. He remembered his promise to Sakura but today, he would take a break. There was no news on Sasuke's whereabouts and besides, Granny Tsunade had grown quite annoyed with him and his obsession with retrieving Sasuke. He decided she deserved a break and so did he. Looking down again, Naruto could not help but glance in the direction of Sakura's house. He had not seen her recently, as she had become quite serious under Tsunade's medical training. She was constantly at the labs practising her new skills and had rejected all of his invitations to go out. He wondered if she was at the labs right now. Thinking of her at the labs reminded him that he needed to train, as well. He remembered how strong Sasuke had been in their final fight before he had left him for dead and reminded himself that he would need to grow stronger if he were ever to successfully drag Sasuke home. Sometimes, he doubted his motivation for finding Sasuke. Was it because Sasuke was his best friend? Was it because he wanted to fight him again? Or was it because Sakura needed him?

Sakura… The name echoed through his mind and he felt numb. Naruto could not pinpoint exactly when he had begun falling for her. He just remembered going weak at the sight of her soft pink hair and sweet innocent smile. Of course, the smiles had never been directed at him, but he had caught sight of them, anyway, whenever she saw Sasuke, actually. Naruto sighed. It seemed that no matter where his thoughts wandered, he ended up thinking of Sasuke. Naruto thought about Sakura and Sasuke. It was never a secret that Sakura loved Sasuke. In fact, most of the females in Konoha doted on him. Naruto was never able to understand why they drooled in his presence but it hurt him sometimes to see Sakura light up whenever Sasuke was around. Although Sakura had become nicer to him since they had become teammates, she reserved a certain giddy side of herself only for Sasuke.

Naruto watched as two sparrows landed on a branch of a nearby tree. The male, distinguished by the black marking on its throat, preened the female's feathers with his beak and female nestled close, chirping softly. Suddenly, Naruto felt a pang of loneliness. He had long admitted to himself that Sakura would never return his feelings, but he had yet to move on. He was never bitter about the pairing of Sakura and Sasuke but now, he was bitter about his own lonely existence. He wondered if he would meet someone who would develop the same feelings for him that he had for Sakura. Then again, it would only be a problem if he _did_ meet someone who felt that way for him and he continued to feel that way for Sakura only. Sometimes, he questioned his feelings for her. If he had really loved her like he often told himself that he did, why was he okay with the fact that Sakura only loved Sasuke. If Naruto had really _loved_ Sakura in _that_ way, why would he agree to bring Sasuke back? These were questions that Naruto could not answer, but they made him wonder about the true nature of the feelings he had for her. Perhaps, the love was not that, of lovers, but of good friends, or even siblings? Growing up without a family had left Naruto longing for kinship. Perhaps, he only loved Sakura like a sister.

"Naruto-kun!"

Naruto broke free from his tangents of thought when he heard his name. He scanned the street below, looking for the one who had called for him. His eyes narrowed and he smiled wide when he realized that it was Lee-kun. He waved back to the figure, clad in all green, below.

"Naruto-kun, I'm off to train with Gai-sensei, but let's meet up later for ramen!" Lee called up to Naruto, his voice energetic and full of youth. He gave the signature thumbs-up to Naruto before dashing off at an incredible speed towards the training grounds.

Naruto was still smiling even when Lee's figure had completely disappeared from view. Seeing Lee-kun had given Naruto inspiration to train again and he decided to make the day worthwhile. Quickly, Naruto changed into his orange suit and wolfed down a cup noodle before dashing out of his apartment. However, instead of the training grounds, he headed in the direction of a secret clearing that he had discovered when he was searching for Sasuke.

He made it there in no time, but when he had come closer to the spot, he realized that there was someone already there. Surprised, Naruto held his breath as he drew closer, squinting to identify the slim figure under the big oak tree. _It must be a girl_, Naruto decided as he studied the slender frame stretched out amidst the leaves. _Should I say something?_ Naruto realized that the girl had not noticed his presence and he debated whether to approach her. When he was within about ten meters from the girl, he recognized her as Ino. Besides shock and surprise, Naruto also could not help, but blush at her beauty. He had known Ino for a long time, actually, but had never really gotten to _know_ her. One thing that he _did_ know about her was that she was also a fan of Sasuke. In fact, he had, on multiple occasions, witnessed her fighting with Sakura over him. Naruto did not know much about Ino, but that she was a good friend of Sakura. He had never paid much attention to her as she was often with Sakura and Sakura commanded all of his attention when she was in his presence. Now, he studied her carefully and noticed that she was a pretty girl, almost as pretty as Sakura. Her blonde hair was lighter than his own, and he marvelled at the way the loose strands tangoed with the wind. When the breeze settled, the wisps fell around her face.

Naruto forced himself to exhale when he realized that he had been holding his breath all that time. He felt his heart skip a beat. Should he say something? She looked deep in thought and Naruto feared that he would upset her by disrupting her thoughts. He did not have much experience in interacting with girls. There was Sakura, but Sakura never paid much attention to him, anyway. There was also Hinata, but she often fainted when he was near. He decided to be bold. After all, he was Naruto; the number one loudest ninja and he would have to live up to his title.

"Ino?"

Suddenly, her face flushed and Naruto regretted his decision to be bold. The girl looked sick. _I really shouldn't have interrupted her_, Naruto thought angrily, scolding himself.

"Ino, are you okay? You look sick."

Naruto took several steps forward, sincerely worried for Ino's wellbeing. He reached out to touch her forehead, but received a ginger slap across his wrist. Naruto settled back onto his heels. _Baka, baka, baka! How could I reach out to touch her like that? She barely knows me!_ Naruto fought back a furious blush threatening to ablaze his cheeks. He should have expected her reaction. Not everyone accepted him in the village, and clearly, Ino was one of them. He should have known and been more careful. Naruto might be slow and possibly even low in intelligence, but he was able to figure out that Ino did not welcome his company. He felt uncomfortable under her stare and offered her a timid smile.

"Sorry, Ino. I didn't mean to startle you. I just thought that you might be sick," Naruto said, simply. He shrugged. _I hope she accepts the apology_, Naruto thought. The last thing he wanted was to spoil the beautiful day with a fight. He just wanted to train, that was it. Then, maybe have ramen with Lee-kun at Ichiraku's place.

"N-No. You didn't do anything wrong."

Naruto barely heard her, as her voice was just above a whisper, but he was surprised at her response. He could not decide whether she was being courteous or sincere. _I should probably let her be_, Naruto thought. _I have to train, anyway_.

"Ino, maybe I should leave. Sorry for interrupting you…" He began, but she cut him off.

"No, Naruto. I'm sorry for acting so rudely before. I was just thinking about something when you came and I was not acting like myself."

Naruto had not expected her to apologize. He smiled at her, genuinely this time. His nervousness had eased a bit and he was relieved that there would not be a fight. _Perhaps, I will get to know Ino better_, Naruto thought. He saw her smile back at him and he was glad that he had chanced upon her today.


	3. Embrace

My most sincere apologies for the delayed update everyone! I had actually started this chapter a longggg time ago, but the bustle of holidays and exams kept me from finishing and editing and now finally posting! For sure, the next chapter will not take another 2 months to be uploaded! I want to thank all the kind reviewers who left such nice comments for me:) I tried to reply to everyone but I know I might have missed some, sorry! Someone mentioned that I use a lack of contractions in my writing and that I'm way too formal and that it's difficult for the readers. I'm sorry to say that it's my style and I won't be changing it. I do apologize, though, because I don't mean to frustrate you guys with my writing. Also, this is quite a comfortable length for me so for those of you who find my chapters short, I will try to compensate by updating more frequently. Thank you again for reviewing and I look forward to reading more reviews :D (Dammit, I'm just so greedy :P) Anyhow, I hope that you guys will enjoy this chapter and keep reading! Ah, one more thing… For all you impatient people, I suggest you remove my story from your alert list now because this story is going to be veryyyyy slow :D

Whoohoo! I have an official beta now :D Special thanx :)

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Subliminal msg: Leave a **review**. Thanx :D

* * *

A gust of wind suddenly whirled around them and the leaves swept up into a flock of rustling colours. Naruto had not seemed to have noticed for he continued to stand there, smiling down at Ino, but Ino had stopped smiling back, unbeknownst to him. Instead, Ino had become mesmerized by nature's beauty and was looking around her in awe at the shower of leaves. Her eyes were wide with wonder and they sparkled slightly under the lazy afternoon sun. When Naruto had finally stopped smiling and opened his eyes again, he found himself in the presence of an angel. _What? Wait, that's just wrong! Ino is not an angel! I must look away…She's going to catch me staring at her! Baka, baka, baka! Why am I even here again?_ Naruto struggled with himself but he could not resist staring. From where he was standing, the light reflected like glittering stars in the pearls of her eyes and the leaves around her made her seem like an earth goddess. Her hair stood out against the shades of red as a delicate gold and her bare shoulders looked porcelain against the deep brown of the trunk she leaned against. However, the moment ended abruptly as the last of the leaves settled back onto the grass. 

Ino snapped out of her trance and looked up at Naruto. To her surprise, he was staring right back at her. _Was he staring at me all this time?_ Ino wondered and felt slightly shy all of a sudden. Her cheeks tinted pink and she lowered her gaze. _Do I look funny or something?_ Ino felt very self-conscious and she shifted uncomfortably in her spot. She thought that she had regained strength in her legs again and she was glad. Almost as if testing her recovery, she made a clumsy attempt to stand up. Unfortunately for her, the blood had just returned and she was in the pins-and-needles phase. The sensation was unexpected and her knees bucked. Instinctively, her arms flung out and her hands latched onto Naruto's jacket.

Naruto wanted to die when Ino suddenly looked up at him. He thought that for sure, she would think that he was weird and never want to be around him again. He was still scolding himself when suddenly he lost his balance and fell forward as Ino pulled on his jacket. Reacting quickly, he reached out and grabbed hold of her arms to prevent the both of them from falling over completely. They held onto each other longer than falling people normally would have. Ino had used Naruto's support to straighten herself and now, they stood staring intensely at each other. Neither spoke nor moved. It was not a romantic moment; actually, it was awkward and both were immensely embarrassed. The only reason that neither of them moved was because neither of them wanted to be the first to have to say anything. Naruto was embarrassed for having been caught staring and did not know if he should apologize. On the other hand, Ino was embarrassed for her clumsy fall and did not know if she should thank Naruto for catching her, or apologize to him for nearly making him fall. Either way, both of them were determined to wait until the other acted first.

However, to the third person that may have been looking, the pair looked like actors from a romantic play in a sweet embrace, ready to kiss at any point… And that was exactly how Shizune interpreted their situation. The Fifth had requested Naruto's audience earlier that day, but it had taken TonTon until now to sniff him out. She was about to crouch in her spot to prevent herself from being noticed, but TonTon had already dashed into the field and aroused both of Naruto and Ino's attention.

The rustle of leaves startled the pair so much that instead of pulling away from each other; they collapsed into one another's arms, both wide-eyed at the burrow of leaves headed in their direction. Then, unexpectedly, TonTon leaped up from the leaves and caused the pair to separate in surprise. Ino fell back against the tree and Naruto jumped, letting out a yelp.

"TonTon!" Naruto and Ino exclaimed in unison. Just as quickly as they realized that it was TonTon before them, they blushed furiously knowing that Shizune must also be around. Naruto started to stammer when he spotted Shizune slowly approaching them with an embarrassed and almost apologetic look on her face. He shuffled his feet in the leaves and scratched the back of his head nervously. On the other hand, Ino racked her brain trying to figure out whether or not Shizune had seen them in their awkward moment. She focused her attention on her feet, trying to feign interest in the pattern of veins on the leaves covering her shoes.

"Uh-Uh…Shizune-chan, wh-what are you doing out here? Have you come to train as well? B-Because I-I mean, we are training here, too. R-R-Right, Ino? We're training, right?" Naruto forced a smile, but it looked amiss on his face and he looked like he was in pain, instead. He stammered some more but no one could understand what he was trying to say, as his words were completely incoherent. Finally, Ino jabbed her elbow into his side and hissed at him to shut up. Naruto whimpered as he rubbed his side, but he did stop stammering. When he had finally managed to subdue the pain in his side, he pulled himself together and cleared his throat.

"So Shizune-chan, are you looking for me?"

"Tsunade-sama wishes to see you," Shizune replied, timidly. She found herself unable to look Naruto in the eye and stared at his nose, instead. She still felt embarrassed and contemplated whether or not to apologize for intruding on them at such an inconvenient time. TonTon had returned to Shizune's side and now looked up between the two in confusion. TonTon scratched his ear with his hind leg and squealed. _Why are humans so complicated sometimes_, TonTon nonchalantly thought to himself.

"Really? Does she have news about Sasuke? Does she know where he is? What does she want to see me about?" Completely forgetting about the awkward moment and the embarrassment, Naruto became very excited at the possibility of news about Sasuke. His mind was racing through thoughts of Sasuke when Shizune promptly popped his bubble.

"Actually, I think she has a new mission for you," Shizune said, softly. She knew how much Naruto cared about Sasuke and was disappointed to inform him that there was still no news on his location.

"There is still no news about Sasuke, but you will come with me to see Tsunade-sama and complete the mission, right?" Shizune lifted her gaze to meet Naruto's eyes and saw dejection in them. However, Naruto quickly recovered and resumed his cheerful nature.

"Of course I will come with you, Shizune-chan! Maybe this mission will lead me to clues about Sasuke, you know!" Naruto pumped his fist in the air and stepped forward, ready to follow Shizune back to the village. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks and turned back briskly.

"Hey, Ino, do you wanna come? You can have ramen with Lee-kun and I later!"

Ino did not know how to respond. In a matter of only minutes, the air had stirred from awkwardness to embarrassment to sadness and now, she was uncertain of what to be feeling. Before she could make up her mind, her stomach decided for her. In an audible grumble, it answered in the affirmative. All three burst into a hearty laugh and headed back towards the village.


	4. A New Mission

I'm sincerely sorry that it took me this long to update. Thank you for your support. I can't believe that there are still subscribers! Well, here it is, the fourth chapter. I hope that it'll live up to your expectations, (as I feel quite rusty). I will work hard to continue this story (without delays!)

Please review :)

All characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

(I just noticed how short this chapter this o.O No worries, chapter 5 is on its way!)

* * *

The Fifth casually thumbed through the pile of papers before her. Her mind wandered and she yearned for sake. She propped her head against one hand and let her eyelids droop. An image of The Fourth appeared and she thought she was drifting into sleep. She suddenly jolted awake. 

"Naruto!" Tsunade rubbed her eyes and straightened herself, snatching up the papers nearby and pretending to be immersed in work.

"Granny Tsunade! You have a mission for me?"

Naruto slammed his hands on her desk and leaned forward in enthusiasm. The table shook under his weight and several towers of documents collapsed. Shizune's eyes nearly popped from their places as she desperately reached for the falling sheets around the desk. Tsunade merely clasped her hands together and rested her head upon them, coolly.

"There is a grave issue at hand in Konoha right now," The Fifth started in a serious tone. "However, I am not sure that you'll be up for the challenge."

"Of course I am!" Naruto jumped up and down in his spot, unable to contain his excitement. "Is this a S-rank mission? I can handle it you know! I'm ready for anything! Tell me! Tell me!"

Tsunade did not reply at first. She stared at him for a moment, then, unclasping her hands, she informed him of his mission.

"Naruto, there is a great amount of leaves in the village. They are congesting the roads and preventing wagons, carts and trolleys from passing through. In the fields, they are preventing the soils from receiving any sunlight. Someone needs to clean them up."

Naruto's jaw dropped.

"THAT'S my mission?" He could not hide his disbelief. Surely, The Fifth thought more of him than a mere caretaker. He blinked once, twice. There was silence.

"You know, it could be considered training," Shizune tried. She had managed to reorganize the papers and was now gently pushing Naruto back, away from the desk. After a pause, she added, "besides, Ino can help you."

Ino had been standing quietly in the corner and everyone else in the room had forgotten that she was there until Shizune used her name. All eyes were on her as she stepped forward.

"Is that okay with you, Ino?" Tsunade maintained her solemn demeanor.

Ino did not know how to respond. She did not quite want to spend her day sweeping leaves, but how could she deny the Hokkage's request? She twiddled her thumbs as she ran through excuses in her mind.

Naruto looked at Ino shyly. He wondered what she was thinking; specifically, he wondered if she would accept the so-called "mission" with him. _Would it be okay_, he pondered. Secretly, he hoped that she would come along. However, his hopes faded when she hesitated to answer. He sighed. Unfortunately, rejection was something he was all too familiar with.

Ino looked up when she heard Naruto sigh. Her heart felt heavy when the thought hit her. _ Does he think it's because of him that I don't want to do this?_Actually, she had not minded the fact that she would have to spend the day with Naruto. The only thing that was really bothering her was the raking-leaves bit. She saw the disappointment in his eyes and her conscience her forced her to accept the mission.


	5. Completing the Mission

As promised, here is chapter 5 of the story :)

All characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

* * *

"Ano.. Ino-chan.." Naruto scratched his chin as they exited the building. He wanted to engage Ino in conversation but could not think of anything to talk about. He realized that he really did not know her at all.

Ino glanced to her side at the stuttering blond boy. His head was tilted up and his eyes were squinted, seemingly deep in thought. She wondered what he was thinking about. _Perhaps he's thinking of a way to complete the mission. Wow, I never knew he was that serious about his duties._ Her eyes lowered and she noticed a small hole over the pocket of his orange jacket. _That's right… He doesn't have any parents._ She wanted to reach out to him, but did not know how.

"Ino, do you have any brothers or sisters?"

The question threw Ino off-guard. She gave him a puzzled look and did not answer immediately.

"Nothing," Naruto said quickly before she could reply. He turned a deep shade of red as he reprimanded himself. He cleared his throat and decided it would be best to keep his mouth shut.

Ino wanted to respond but Naruto had already withdrawn the question. She played with a lock of hair as they walked in silence down the village road. Her bare shoulder brushed against Naruto's coat once, but neither of them noticed. The two continued through town without a word. Although there was no communication between them, it was a comfortable silence. Neither felt awkward and the pressure to talk dissipated as they neared the back fields of Konoha.

A field of colours, birds and little critters greeted them. Instinctively, the pair paused at the top of a small hill to take the landscape in. Naruto breathed in deeply, appreciating the season's musky perfume. He stretched his arms out and let the autumn air embrace his body. Ino closed her eyes and listened to the sparrow's song, the shuffle of tiny rodent feet in the dirt and the crisp landing of leaves. Suddenly, a loud crash sounded, startling Ino to reopen her eyes.

Naruto had leapt into the pile of leaves below them and was now thrashing his arms around, pretending to swim. He waved at Ino, smiling broadly. Ino laughed, jumping in after him. Without speaking, the two began a game of tag, splashing leaves at each other and hiding around the large oaks.

Ino tired before Naruto did, and she laid down to watch the sky. Naruto sat down beside her, leaning back with the support of his hands. The floating clouds moved steadily with the wind and Ino followed them with her eyes until she fell asleep. Naruto could not help but look at her peaceful face. His eyes trailed down her neck, and stopped at her rising and falling chest. _I'm such a jerk! I'm taking advantage of a sleeping girl! _Blushing furiously, Naruto scrambled to his feet and backed away. As he brushed himself off, he suddenly remembered that they were supposed to be on a "mission." He glanced at Ino's slumbering form and decided not to wake her. She stirred slightly as a breeze passed through the field. Quietly, Naruto unzipped his jacket and he gently placed it over her. Then, he tiptoed to the edge of the field and performed his famous _Taju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_. He willed his clones to complete the mission, but he stayed behind, not wanting to abandon his companion.

The blue in the sky changed into a mélange of sunsetting colours. The clouds turned orange, then, purple from the reflecting lights and day became evening. Naruto had resumed his sitting position, calmly watching Ino and adjusting his jacket each time she turned or shifted in her sleep. Warmth glowed in his heart, comforting his soul. He could not pinpoint the origin of said warmth, but he was grateful to be in Ino's company. It was a new experience for him – to be with a girl, not on a mission or in a group.

As Naruto became lost in his thoughts, Ino slowly came to, yawning slightly. She peered up at Naruto, who was watching the last of the sparrows return to its nest on the oak above them. A soft breeze passed and she pulled Naruto's jacket up higher. Only then, did she realize that he had given her his coat to use as a blanket. Her cheeks tinted pink and she smiled inwardly to herself. _I never expected Naruto to be so considerate_. Looking around, she noticed that most of the leaves had been swept into a large pile in the middle of the field, except for the ones that surrounded them. She suddenly recalled that they had had a mission to complete and she had slept through the whole thing.

"Naruto, I'm so sorry," Ino started, guiltily.

"Don't be. I enjoyed it very much," Naruto said before she could continue. He was surprised at his own courage, but he genuinely meant it and he was glad that he told her the truth.

"Besides, I didn't do that much work either," Naruto added, chuckling.

He helped her up and she brushed herself off. She held his jacket up, but Naruto shook his head. She hesitated, but eventually put it on. It was cooler now and Ino's sleeveless top left her vulnerable to the winds.

"Thank you," Ino said, shyly.

"You're welcome."

As they neared town, much commotion was heard. When they reached the main road, they realized that all the leaves had been piled into random heaps in a haphazard pattern across the streets. Naruto gulped and laughed meekly. In the distance, Tsunade's yell could be heard.

"Race you to Ichiraku's!" Naruto had barely finished his sentence before taking off, leaving a trail of dust behind him.

"Wait! Naruto!" Ino would have normally scolded Naruto for being irresponsible, but she actually found the situation funny. Dodging a stack of leaves, she sprinted forward, determined to catch up.


End file.
